ratiopharm Ulm has become a top BBL team in the last years and management continue to realize that head coach Thorsten Leibenath has something to do with it The 41 year old German who coached in the United Kingdom, Giesen and Artland made his real break through with ratiopharm Ulm arriving in 2011 and the rest has been history. The Head coach is in his sixth season with Ulm and in these 6 years has reached two BBL finals and 2 cup finals and yesterday got a contract extension until 2019.... [read more]

ratiopharm Ulm has become a top BBL team in the last years and management continue to realize that head coach Thorsten Leibenath has something to do with it The 41 year old German who coached in the United Kingdom, Giesen and Artland made his real break through with ratiopharm Ulm arriving in 2011 and the rest has been history. The Head coach is in his sixth season with Ulm and in these 6 years has reached two BBL finals and 2 cup finals and yesterday got a contract extension until 2019.

It was an absolute no brainer for manager Thomas Stoll to hand Leibenath the piece of paper so he could sign on the dotted line. "This is our sixth season where we are successfully working together and we just feel that it all fits with him. With Thorsten staying on board, we have that planning security for the next two years", stated Thomas Stoll. Leibenath also helped lead the club into the Eurocup quarterfinal in 2013 and has a current winning streak of 62% with 181 wins in 293 games. This season one could call ratiopharm Olm the baby Bamberg as they are like them undefeated at 12-0 a feat that no other team has been able to do for years at the start of a season. "The contract talks went smoothly as both sides felt it was right. This is how postive and constructive work happens in the organization. It starts with the employees in the office and continues with the players, coaches and medical department and ends with the two CEO's Thomas Stoll and Andreas Oettel. I also feel making this step was right for my personal development", stressed Thorsten Leibenath .

Preston Medlin(193-G-91, college: Utah St.) is a 25 year old 193cm guard that is playing his third professional season and first with the Kirchheim Knights in the German Pro A. He started his basketball career in 2009 with Utah St. (NCAA) where he played until 2014 playinga total of 102 NCAA games. As a senior he played 32 games averaging 12.4ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 78.0%. He started his professional basketball career in 2014 with BK Saldus (Latvia-LBL): 29 games:... [read more]

Preston Medlin (193-G-91, college: Utah St.) is a 25 year old 193cm guard that is playing his third professional season and first with the Kirchheim Knights in the German Pro A. He started his basketball career in 2009 with Utah St. (NCAA) where he played until 2014 playinga total of 102 NCAA games. As a senior he played 32 games averaging 12.4ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.1apg, FGP: 41.1%, 3PT: 42.4%, FT: 78.0%. He started his professional basketball career in 2014 with BK Saldus (Latvia-LBL): 29 games: Score-4 (14.7ppg), 3.1rpg, 3.0apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 42.7%, FT: 75.8%. Last season he had limited duty with Enosi Kalathosfairisis Kavalas (Greece-A1): 3 games: 3.7ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.3apg. Eurobasket talked to Preston after the tough 90-72 loss in Trier.

Preston thanks for talking to eurobasket.com. You came into the game with Trier with a 11-1 record and had won 8 times. As a professional basketball player does a time come when one has won a lot that you just think it will go on and on?Going into the Trier game we felt like we were rolling and nothing could touch us and we got a reality check, which I think in the long run, will be good for us.

A tough 90-72 loss to Trier who had lost four of their last five games and were reeling for a win and got it. Did this game and result give you another reality check that the German Pro A is a very competitive league?

I think we know how competitive this league is; we got complacent and Trier played a great game and took advantage of that situation.

After the third quarter, Trier was only up by five points, but really opened up the game in the fourth quarter pounding home 28 points. What was key for Trier ending Kirchheim's eight game winning streak?

Trier just came out and wanted the game more than we did, you could tell their backs were up against a wall and they were fighting for their lives. They out played us and that's why we lost.

Kirchheim shot 26 more free throws, but otherwise shot poorly while Trier shot out the lights. Was it just one of those days that happen or was the team defense more than suspect?

I think it was a combination of both we let their shooters get going early and then they got hot and by then it was too late for us to do anything.

The team is still awaiting to play Crailsheim and the next opponent is MBC. They came down form the BBL and what to get back there. What will be key for getting the win?

Our next game we play against MBC who has a great team but we are looking forward to the challenge this week.

It has been a very strong season for Kirchheim so far as it is fourth in scoring averaging 80 points per game and ninth in defense giving up 76 points. Do you feel like Kirchheim could be a team that could keep teams to 70 points a game as the season progresses? What do you feel is still an area that needs to be improved on?

Yes it has been a good year for Kirchheim, I think it is the best start in the history of the club. That is all great but the season is not close to over so we have to stay focused and keep playing hard every day in practice and improving as a team so we are playing our best ball at the end of the season. I think we have the talent to keep teams to 70 points but we just need to make sure we bring our best effort every night. As a basketball team you should always be improving as the season goes on we just have to work on playing a full game of basketball for 40 minutes.

Kirchheim also play with a very thin rotation. Do you feel like the club will be able to withstand a long season like that and not get worn down?

We might not have the deepest rotation but when we need guys to step up they have and I think that is one of the biggest reasons we are having so much success.

The team is very young. Who has established himself as the leader in the early going? German Tim Koch probably has the most experience in Germany

We have some young guys on our team but we also have some guys with a lot of experience so we have a good balance. I feel like we have a lot leaders on the team and it seems to be a different guy from practice to practice.

How much fun has it been playing with rookie Carrington Love. What do you feel has been his secret for making the solid transition from the NCAA to the Pro A?

Love is great to play with, he makes the game a lot easier for everyone on the court because he is so quick and a great passer. I think his transition has been solid for him because he is a great defender and for the most part he plays his game and doesn't let anyone else make him doing something he is not comfortable with.

Your having a very solid third professional season in Germany averaging 8,8ppg, 1,9rpg and 3,0apg. What is the biggest challenge for you in general in each Pro A game that you play?

I feel I am having a solid year but most importantly my team is having a good year. The biggest challenge for me this year is being a consistent scorer every night.

Your shooting 39% from outside? Do you feel like you can develop into a solid 40% plus three point shooter this season?

I do feel that I can be a 40% threepoint shooter and I have been my whole career and I don't thing this year will be any different.

What have you learned to appreciate most about Germany so far in your first few months here?

I have learned to appreciate how friendly and helpful German people are. Also it is nice how well people can speak English here. But my experience in Germany has been amazing so far.

Kevin Garnett has retired. Where do you rate him with the best power forwards of all-time that played in the NBA?

t was a sad day when KG retired but not as sad as when Tim Duncan retired. Tim was my favorite player to ever play the game but KG was a monster and probably top 5 PF of all time.

The talk is usually about Lebron or Steph Curry, but one has to mention that Russell Westbrook is averaging triple double stats with points, rebounds and assists. Where do you rate him at the moment just with sheer stats and how he is doing it form the point guard position?

Russell Westbrook is a monster and he plays with everything he's got every night. If he ends the season averaging a triple double it will have to go down as one of the best seasons of all time.

What do you feel will be the journey of the Golden State Warriors this season? Will they be able to win the title again and with 65 plus games?

When you have the players that Golden State has you will always have a chance to win the NBA finals but we will see if they can beat Cleveland this year.

Struggling Pro A club Dresden Titans have reacted to the injury of American Jervohn Pressley and brought in Tafari Toney (202-C/F-86) Toney is a 30 year old 202cm forward that was born in New York, but has an english mother. He has much experience having played in the NCAA with Houston and is playing his tenth professional season. The club announced that the big man will play the remaining three games in 2016 as Pressley will return to the court in January. Last season Toney split time wi... [read more]

Struggling Pro A club Dresden Titans have reacted to the injury of American Jervohn Pressley and brought in Tafari Toney (202-C/F-86) Toney is a 30 year old 202cm forward that was born in New York, but has an english mother. He has much experience having played in the NCAA with Houston and is playing his tenth professional season. The club announced that the big man will play the remaining three games in 2016 as Pressley will return to the court in January. Last season Toney split time with Abejas de Guanajuato (Mexico-LNBP): 16 games: 10.8ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.2apg, 2FGP: 48.8%, FT: 81.4%: 15 games: 10.8ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.3apg, 2FGP: 47.5%, FT: 80.7%, in Dec.'15 moved to Jean D'Arc Vichy Clermont Metropole (France-ProB): 7 games: 8.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.1spg, FGP: 51.2%, FT: 68.0%.

Dresden Titans head coach Liam Flynn is content about the vocal support that Toney will bring the team. "He is very loud on the court and that had been missing with us. Only when there is communication can one have success", added Fylnn. Toney started his basketball career in 2004 with San Jacinto College (NJCAA) and then played two seasons with Houston (NCAA) playing 61 NCAA games. He played his first three professional seasons in England with teams like Newcastle, Sheffield and Liverpool and six years in France in the third and second divisions and two in Mexico. Toney knows exactly what his duties will be with the Titans. "I am the oldest player in a young team and am supposed to lead them", expressed Tafari Toney

Awards and achievements in his basketball career has been Ranked among the Top 100 junior college players in the nation -06, JUCO Honorable-Mention, All-Region XIV selection -06, C-USA Tournament Finalist -07, British BBL Cup Semifinals -09, British BBL Regular Season Champion -09, 11, British BBL Champion -09, 11

British National Team -09, British BBL Cup Winner -10, Eurobasket.com All-British BBL Center of the Year -10, 11, Eurobasket.com All-British BBL Defensive Player of the Year -10, Eurobasket.com All-British BBL 2nd Team -10, Eurobasket.com British BBL All-Domestic Players Team -10, 11, Eurobasket.com British BBL All-Defensive Team -10, 11, British BBL Semifinals -10, British BBL Regular Season Runner-Up -10, British BBL Cup Finalist -11, Eurobasket.com All-British BBL 1st Team -11, French NM1 Play-Offs Champion -12, Eurobasket.com All-French NM1 2nd Team -12, Eurobasket.com French NM1 All-Bosmans Team -12, 14, Eurobasket.com All-French ProB Bosman Player of the Year -13, and French NM1 Play-Offs Semifinals -14

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